Cheapest Way to Call Bangladesh from the UK
Every option compared honestly — access numbers, WhatsApp, VoIP apps and eSIMs. The right answer depends on your situation, so we cover all of them.
All Your Options at a Glance
There is no single best way to call Bangladesh from the UK — it depends on whether both ends have internet, whether you're on a landline or mobile, and how often you call. Here is an honest comparison of every option.
| Method | Typical Cost | Needs Internet | Best For | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Free | Both ends | Regular callers with WiFi on both sides | Best if both online |
|
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Coming soon | No | UK landline callers, elderly relatives with no smartphone | 🔔 Notify me |
|
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~1–3p/min | UK end only | UK mobile callers, no app needed on other end | Best for UK mobiles |
|
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Free / low | Both ends | If your contact already uses the same app | Good if app matches |
|
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From £3 | For data calls | Travelling to Bangladesh | Travel only |
|
Standard UK Mobile
EE / O2 / Vodafone — international direct dial
|
50p–£1.50/min | No | Emergency calls only | Avoid — very expensive |
💡 The most important caveat on WhatsApp: it is genuinely free — but only works if the person you are calling also has a good internet connection. For calling elderly relatives or anyone without reliable WiFi or data, you need a paid option.
We are upgrading our dial-around service to a new supplier offering better rates to Bangladesh. Leave your email below and we will notify you the moment new access numbers go live — you will be among the first to know.
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Calling from Your UK Mobile
Your standard mobile network will charge 50p–£1.50 per minute for international calls to Bangladesh. Here are the two options that actually make sense.
Rebtel
The key advantage over WhatsApp: the person you're calling doesn't need a smartphone, internet connection, or any app. Rebtel routes your call over the internet on your end but delivers it as a normal phone call at the Bangladesh end. Rates from around 1–3p per minute.
WhatsApp (Free — with a caveat)
Completely free if the person you're calling has WhatsApp and a reliable internet connection. That caveat matters — if they have unreliable WiFi or data, call quality suffers. Best for regular calls to people you know are online.
Used Skype to call Bangladesh?
Microsoft shut Skype down in May 2025. The best direct replacement for calling Bangladesh landlines and mobiles is Rebtel — same principle, no account needed. For free app-to-app calls, WhatsApp is the natural replacement.
Also Need to Send Money to Bangladesh?
Many people calling Bangladesh from the UK also send money home regularly. Your high street bank is typically the worst way to do it — most add a hidden margin of 3–5% on top of the exchange rate before charging a transfer fee. These two services are consistently cheaper.
Wise
Uses the real mid-market exchange rate — the same one you see on Google — with a small transparent fee shown upfront before you send. No hidden margin buried in the exchange rate. Used by over 16 million people worldwide.
Remitly
Built specifically for diaspora remittances — very popular for UK–Bangladesh transfers. Competitive exchange rates with an on-time delivery guarantee: if your transfer is late, they refund the fee. Supports bank deposit, cash pickup and mobile wallet.
💡 Compare both before sending — rates shift daily. The cheapest for your amount this week may differ from last week.
Travelling to Bangladesh? Avoid Roaming Charges
If you're visiting Bangladesh, your UK SIM will cost you significantly more than you expect. EE charges up to £8.45 per day for data outside Europe — which adds up to over £59 on a week's trip just for mobile internet. An eSIM costs a fraction of that and activates before you board.
Airalo
Best for most travellers. Buy a data plan before you leave, scan a QR code, and you have local data rates the moment you land in Bangladesh. No physical SIM swap, no queues at the airport. Plans start from around £3.
Holafly
Better for longer stays or heavy data users. Unlimited data plans mean you never worry about running out — useful if you're making lots of WhatsApp video calls home, using Google Maps constantly, or working remotely during your trip.
ℹ️ eSIMs are data-only — calls and texts still go through apps like WhatsApp. Your UK number stays active on your phone's physical SIM alongside the eSIM.
How to Dial Bangladesh from the UK
📞 Dialling format
Dial 00880 + area code + local number for landlines, dropping the leading zero. For mobiles dial 00880 + the 10-digit number (starting 01).
🕐 Time difference explained
Bangladesh Standard Time is UTC+6. Bangladesh does not observe daylight saving. During UK BST (March–October) the gap narrows to 5 hours.
Dialling code for Bangladesh
The dialling code for Bangladesh is +880.
When calling Bangladesh from the UK you must dial 00880 followed by the Bangladesh number in full.
When using our service to make cheap calls to Bangladesh, you need to:
- Dial the access number
- When you hear the voice prompt, dial the Bangladeshn number starting with 00880
- When you have finished inputting the number, wait to be connected.
That’s it….easy!
Best time to call Bangladesh from UK
The time in Bangladesh is 6-7 hours ahead of the UK (GMT +6/+7). On that basis the best time to call Bangladesh is 8am until 2pm UK time. The whole of Bangladesh is covered by a single time zone so you don’t need to worry about which part of Bangladesh you are calling.
Travel Information (provided by the FCO)
Bangladesh Area Codes
| City | Dialing Code |
| Alamdanga | 00880 7622 |
| Ashugonj | 00880 8528 |
| Avaynagar (Noapara) | 00880 4222 |
| Badargonj | 00880 5222 |
| Bagerhat | 00880 468 |
| Banaripara | 00880 4332 |
| Bandarban | 00880 361 |
| Banshkhali | 00880 3037 |
| Barguna | 00880 448 |
| Barisal | 00880 431 |
| Bauphal | 00880 4422 |
| Bazitpur | 00880 9423 |
| Bhairab | 00880 9424 |
| Bhandaria | 00880 4623 |
| Bheramara | 00880 7022 |
| Bhola | 00880 491 |
| Bogra | 00880 51 |
| Brahmanbaria | 00880 851 |
| Chandpur | 00880 841 |
| Chandraghona (Kaptai) | 00880 3529 |
| Chaudagram | 00880 8034 |
| Chhatak | 00880 8723 |
| Chittagong | 00880 31 |
| Chuadanga | 00880 761 |
| Comilla | 00880 81 |
| Companigon (Bashurhat) | 00880 3223 |
| Cox’s Bazar | 00880 341 |
| Daudkandi | 00880 8023 |
| Daulatpur | 00880 7023 |
| Dhaka | 00880 2 |
| Dinajpur | 00880 531 |
| Faridpur | 00880 631 |
| Feni | 00880 331 |
| Fulbari | 00880 5327 |
| Gaibandha | 00880 541 |
| Galachipa | 00880 4424 |
| Gazipur | 00880 681 |
| Ghatail | 00880 9225 |
| Goalanda | 00880 6423 |
| Gopalgonj | 00880 423 |
| Hajigonj | 00880 8424 |
| Hatiya (Oshkhali) | 00880 3224 |
| Hobigonj | 00880 831 |
| Ishwardi | 00880 732 |
| Jamalpur | 00880 981 |
| Jessore | 00880 421 |
| Jhalokathhi | 00880 498 |
| Jhenaidah | 00880 451 |
| Jhikargacha | 00880 4225 |
| Joypurhat | 00880 571 |
| Kalaroa | 00880 4724 |
| Kanaighat | 00880 8233 |
| Khagrachhari | 00880 371 |
| Khepupara | 00880 4425 |
| Khulna | 00880 41 |
| Kishoregonj | 00880 941 |
| Kurigram | 00880 581 |
| Kustia | 00880 71 |
| Laksham (Daulatgonj) | 00880 8032 |
| Lakshmipur | 00880 381 |
| Lalmonirhat | 00880 591 |
| Madaripur | 00880 661 |
| Magura | 00880 488 |
| Manikgonj | 00880 651 |
| Mathabdi | 00880 6257 |
| Meherpur | 00880 791 |
| Mithamain | 00880 9435 |
| Mohanganj | 00880 9524 |
| Moheshkhali | 00880 3424 |
| Mongla | 00880 402 |
| Mongla New Port | 00880 4662 |
| Moulavibazar | 00880 861 |
| Muktagacha | 00880 9028 |
| Muladi | 00880 4326 |
| Munshigonj | 00880 691 |
| Mymensingh | 00880 91 |
| Nabinagar | 00880 8525 |
| Nagarpur | 00880 9233 |
| Naogaon | 00880 741 |
| Narail | 00880 481 |
| Narsingdi | 00880 628 |
| Natore | 00880 771 |
| Nawabgonj (Chapai) | 00880 781 |
| Netrokona | 00880 951 |
| Nilphamari | 00880 551 |
| Noakhali | 00880 321 |
| Pabna | 00880 731 |
| Paikgacha | 00880 4027 |
| Palash (Ghorashal) | 00880 6254 |
| Panchagar | 00880 568 |
| Parbatipur | 00880 5334 |
| Patuakhali | 00880 441 |
| Perojpur | 00880 461 |
| Plulpur | 00880 9033 |
| Potiya | 00880 3035 |
| Rajbari | 00880 641 |
| Rajshahi | 00880 721 |
| Ramgoti (Char Alexander) | 00880 3823 |
| Rangamati | 00880 351 |
| Rangpur | 00880 521 |
| Saidpur | 00880 5526 |
| Sarsha (Benapol) | 00880 4228 |
| Satkania | 00880 3036 |
| Satkhira | 00880 471 |
| Savar | 00880 2 |
| Shariatpur | 00880 601 |
| Sherpur | 00880 931 |
| Shibganj | 00880 5033 |
| Sirajgonj | 00880 751 |
| Sitakundu (Barabkundu) | 00880 3028 |
| Srimangol | 00880 8626 |
| Sunamgonj | 00880 871 |
| Syedpur | 00880 552 |
| Sylhet | 00880 821 |
| Taherpur | 00880 8732 |
| Tangail | 00880 921 |
| Thakurgaon | 00880 561 |
| Ukhia | 00880 3427 |
